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Former pitcher Garcia killed in auto accident

Former pitcher Garcia killed in auto accident

Rosman Garcia (left) pitched in 50 career big league games for the Rangers from 2003-04.

By T.R. Sullivan
/
MLB.com |

ARLINGTON -- Former Rangers pitcher Rosman Garcia was killed in a car accident in his native Venezuela early Thursday morning. He was 32.

According to The Associated Press, Garcia was killed when his car skidded off the road and hit a tree. He was traveling along the Central Regional Highway outside Caracas. He had been playing this winter for the Aragua Tigers in the Venezuelan Winter League and was a native of Maracay.

"Very sad," Venezuelan League president Jose Grasso Vecchio said via Twitter. "We regret the death of Rosman Garcia in the highway accident on the Central Regional."

"He was a good kid, he really was," former Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "He really cared. He was a good teammate, always had a smile on his face. He really tried hard and loved playing. He was pleasant, full of energy and always loved helping his team win."

Garcia was one of two players acquired by the Rangers from the Yankees in a trade for infielder Randy Velarde on Aug. 31, 2001. Garcia was a player to be named later in the deal and was officially acquired after the season while Dan O'Brien was serving as the Rangers' interim general manager.

Garcia, originally signed by the Yankees in 1996, pitched in 46 games for the Rangers in 2003 and was 1-2 with a 6.02 ERA while allowing 63 hits and 23 walks and striking out 25 in 46 1/3 innings. He was also 1-2 with a 1.91 ERA in 17 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

He pitched in four games for the Rangers in 2004 but never returned to the Major Leagues. His only Major League victory came on June 29, 2003, with a scoreless inning of relief in the Rangers' 8-5 win over the Astros.

He spent the past four seasons pitching in the Mexican League and was 3-4 with a 6.45 ERA in 12 games for Monterrey.

Aragua was scheduled to play a doubleheader on Thursday, but that has been postponed. Rangers infielder Luis Hernandez and outfielder Yangervis Solarte -- both signed to Minor League contracts earlier this offseason -- also play for Aragua.